42 Abu Dhabi and AiRev sign strategic agreement to launch exclusive AI hackathon for students

42 Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital’s disruptive and tuition-free coding academy, has signed a strategic partnership with AiRev to empower the next generation of artificial intelligence developers. The agreement was formalised during a signing ceremony held at the academy’s campus, where it was officially signed by Dr. Ahmed Al Shoaibi, Acting CEO of 42 Abu Dhabi and Muhammed Khalid CEO from AiRev.

The event marked the beginning of a strategic collaboration between the two entities aimed at nurturing national digital talent and accelerating innovation across critical sectors.

As part of the partnership, 42 Abu Dhabi and AiRev will jointly launch an exclusive AI hackathon designed specifically for the academy’s students. The programme invites participants to form teams and compete in building 42 fully functional AI agents using AiRev’s OnDemand platform.

These agents will be developed to address real-world challenges across a range of industries, encouraging students to apply their technical skills to high-impact, future-oriented solutions. Through this initiative, learners will gain hands-on experience with advanced AI tools, benefit from direct mentorship by the AiRev team, and build deployable AI solutions that mirror real-world demands.

Commenting on the agreement, Dr. Ahmed Al Shoaibi, Acting CEO of 42 Abu Dhabi, stated: “This collaboration with AiRev reinforces our commitment to delivering future-focused, experiential learning that goes beyond the classroom. By integrating real-world AI development challenges into our students’ journey, we are equipping them with the creativity, problem-solving ability, and technical agility required to lead the next wave of digital transformation in the UAE and beyond.”

The hackathon concluded with a final showcase where the top-performing teams were recognised for their achievements. The overall winning team were Cloud Intelligence, who built AI agents that can monitor engine status and pumps at oil and gas companies with the ability to communicate to these via natural language text or even a phone call. The winning team’s participants were Mohamed Ali Al Mehairbi, Asma Alawlaqi and Agegnew Mersha,

In addition to cash prizes, outstanding participants were offered internship opportunities with AiRev, providing them with career-building exposure and a platform to further develop their expertise within the AI industry. The programme represents more than a competition, it is a strategic launchpad designed to accelerate the development of local AI talent and contribute to the broader innovation ecosystem of the UAE.

Muhammed Khalid, Founder & CEO of AiRev, said: “As we move toward a world shaped by automation and intelligent systems, it's becoming increasingly important to equip talent with the skills and mindset needed to thrive in a post-labour economy. This partnership between AiRev and 42 Abu Dhabi offers students exactly that—real-world experience with advanced AI tools and agent-based systems. It’s a thoughtful, future-facing initiative that gives young people a practical foundation in technologies that will define the next chapter of work.”

This partnership builds on 42 Abu Dhabi’s growing stature as a national hub for coding and AI education. Through its peer-to-peer, gamified learning model and commitment to innovation, the academy continues to offer transformative learning experiences that prepare its students to thrive in dynamic, technology-driven environments.